It is been noted that the government has especially asked Facebook and TikTok to remove those videos that are spreading misinformation intended to mislead Muslims about the coronavirus. The move has come after a report by Delhi-based digital analytics firm Voyager Infosec. The study highlights a pattern of targeted disinformation in many social media videos specific to Muslim community. Also Read - Coronavirus: IIT Roorkee develops a mobile app to combat the spread of COVID 19

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For example, one the video reviewed by Reuters on April 7, a TikTok user says he is not scared of the coronavirus because, as a Muslim, he is a follower of the Prophet Mohammed and fears only Allah. On the similar line, one another video showed a young man throwing away the face mask to put on a Muslim skull cap, and makes a gesture of praying. Also Read - DRDO to mass produce bio suits for medical professionals fighting Coronavirus

These concerns about such content has reportedly forced India’s IT ministry to write to TikTok and Facebook on April 5, Reuters quoted the government source.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has taken further steps to make it difficult to spread misinformation about coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, the Facebook-owned social messaging platform announced that it would place new limits on the number of forwarded messages. WhatsApp said it will also identify that the “highly forwarded” can only be forwarded to a single person. This number is identified by seeing whether a message has been sent through a chain of five or more people.

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